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Author Topic: Easier modding  (Read 711 times)

Beeskee

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Easier modding
« on: September 05, 2010, 11:17:44 am »

Modding support is great. Easier modding support would be even better. :)

The less files that need to be modified, the easier modding is.

Right now, even for simple mods, a bunch of files need to be changed. A custom workshop or reaction needs changes to the custom workshop file and the race files. If it was a plug-and-play file that could be dropped in, instead of a modification to an existing file, and it included a command like ADD_TO_RACES:ALL or ADD_TO_RACES:DWARF or something like that, custom workshops and reactions could be made "drag and drop to add."

There are a bunch of examples I bet others could find as well. :)
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jaked122

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Re: Easier modding
« Reply #1 on: September 05, 2010, 11:29:52 am »

no, what you are talking about it already simple, you edit the tissue definitions rather than the creature definition and it would be applied to a new world. if you want it to be available without regen, especially after adding entries, the only reason that doesn't work is because the save file's structure probably doesn't allow such things.

Shadowclaimer

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Re: Easier modding
« Reply #2 on: September 05, 2010, 12:34:50 pm »

Modding support is great. Easier modding support would be even better. :)

The less files that need to be modified, the easier modding is.

Right now, even for simple mods, a bunch of files need to be changed. A custom workshop or reaction needs changes to the custom workshop file and the race files. If it was a plug-and-play file that could be dropped in, instead of a modification to an existing file, and it included a command like ADD_TO_RACES:ALL or ADD_TO_RACES:DWARF or something like that, custom workshops and reactions could be made "drag and drop to add."

There are a bunch of examples I bet others could find as well. :)

Actually something like that would be very nice, then I could say add a HighElves.txt file that starts with the line "[INSERTINTO:ENTITIES]" then follow up with all the code, allowing us to organize and drag/drop files appropriately.
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silverskull39

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Re: Easier modding
« Reply #3 on: September 05, 2010, 12:49:36 pm »

Modding support is great. Easier modding support would be even better. :)

The less files that need to be modified, the easier modding is.

Right now, even for simple mods, a bunch of files need to be changed. A custom workshop or reaction needs changes to the custom workshop file and the race files. If it was a plug-and-play file that could be dropped in, instead of a modification to an existing file, and it included a command like ADD_TO_RACES:ALL or ADD_TO_RACES:DWARF or something like that, custom workshops and reactions could be made "drag and drop to add."

There are a bunch of examples I bet others could find as well. :)

Actually something like that would be very nice, then I could say add a HighElves.txt file that starts with the line "[INSERTINTO:ENTITIES]" then follow up with all the code, allowing us to organize and drag/drop files appropriately.

and then, farther down in the code, have the part for the creature placed after the line "[INSERTINTO:CREATURE_STANDARD]"  which would allow us to keep all the information for a modded creature or even a whole full conversion mod in just one or two text files that don't need to be manually added to the rest of the text. I am in full support of this. maybe throw in an "[ENDINSERT]" line in at the end of each portion so it knows not to put all the code into the first insert destination.
« Last Edit: September 05, 2010, 12:52:33 pm by silverskull39 »
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Re: Easier modding
« Reply #4 on: September 05, 2010, 01:06:34 pm »

Honestly, I'd rather push Toady to make more things raw-moddable than bother Toady with trying to make the raws user-friendly, which might just scare him away from putting the things I really want to see in the raws from getting raw-ified in the first place if he feels like it would be too much work.
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Knight Otu

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Re: Easier modding
« Reply #5 on: September 05, 2010, 01:48:41 pm »

That is something that I mentioned in another suggestion thread as well, among other raws suggestions. Of the currently existing raw objects, I do think entities are the only ones that truly "need" a modifier file (not in the sense of it being required, but in the sense that the file is mostly modified by necessity). With other objects, there is little need for modifier files.

It is hardly a priority, but it is something that would be nice to have, especially for mods released to the public.

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Shadowclaimer

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Re: Easier modding
« Reply #6 on: September 05, 2010, 09:19:57 pm »

Modding support is great. Easier modding support would be even better. :)

The less files that need to be modified, the easier modding is.

Right now, even for simple mods, a bunch of files need to be changed. A custom workshop or reaction needs changes to the custom workshop file and the race files. If it was a plug-and-play file that could be dropped in, instead of a modification to an existing file, and it included a command like ADD_TO_RACES:ALL or ADD_TO_RACES:DWARF or something like that, custom workshops and reactions could be made "drag and drop to add."

There are a bunch of examples I bet others could find as well. :)

Actually something like that would be very nice, then I could say add a HighElves.txt file that starts with the line "[INSERTINTO:ENTITIES]" then follow up with all the code, allowing us to organize and drag/drop files appropriately.

and then, farther down in the code, have the part for the creature placed after the line "[INSERTINTO:CREATURE_STANDARD]"  which would allow us to keep all the information for a modded creature or even a whole full conversion mod in just one or two text files that don't need to be manually added to the rest of the text. I am in full support of this. maybe throw in an "[ENDINSERT]" line in at the end of each portion so it knows not to put all the code into the first insert destination.

Exactly!

I do agree Toady does need to focus on more Raw-able objects primarily, but I still think having the modding be more organized would be nice as well. Personally I hate having to back up my files then do my edits, then try to find where in the file my edits are located, etc. constantly, currently comments are the only way to keep track of that. Would work a lot nicer to be able to place the whole race (Entity, Creature) into one .txt file, drop it in the folder, then if you see issues arise, pull that one file out for debugging.
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Aramco

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Re: Easier modding
« Reply #7 on: September 05, 2010, 09:21:43 pm »

So all you need is a [INSERT_INTO:insert name here] tag.
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silverskull39

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Re: Easier modding
« Reply #8 on: September 05, 2010, 09:35:57 pm »

actually, you could probably do this with a third party program or something, but I'm not sure. I'm no programmer.
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Dwarf fortress threads can sound so.... unethical
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Keuran

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Re: Easier modding
« Reply #9 on: September 05, 2010, 09:37:45 pm »

Uristmod Is made almost specifically for this purpose. It would be great if more people used it.
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